I belong to a Community Garden and it's been intruded by chiggers and fire ants... There's discussions going on how how to naturally rid them from our spaces, but it doesn't seem that anyone really knows what they're talking about... It's a garden for food... so we're all wondering what in the heck we're suppose to use. In the discussions the following have been suggested... Please tell me what you've used and found to be successful... Pepper, Talc, (both of which don't kill, yet they mess up the scent trails which makes them want to leave... Also pyrethrins, (DIATECT) however there are some who say stay away from it... Andros, but we're concerned about it being used on a food garden... Got any advise for us? Thank you!! Deborah
I never use pepper or red pepper because it can be very detrimental to other garden critters, if it gets in their eyes, :'( they can blind themselves trying to relieve the pain. I'll be watching to see what others suggest, the fire ants are a problem here, too.
How you been ZuZu? I still hear now and then how much your slide show is enjoyed! Even from Last month's page! I'll be interested to hear if anyone can help me with the critter issues... I've even heard to pour boiling water into the ground... But no matter what we do, I think the 'good' and the 'bad' pests are going to be effected...
There are two types of plants that I use to combat ants in the garden. I have pets and do not like making use of insectidices. Thus I plant Tagetes minuta (related to marigolds and also known as the Stinking Roger) and Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy) The Tagetes minuta has a pungent smell and is quite effective in keepting insects at bay. It can be used dry, as well as crushed and crumbled. I usually make use of the leaves and flower heads in this way. I sprinlkle it down the entrances to the nests of the ants that are causing the problems. I also make use of Tagetes SPRAY - which I make myself. I fill a bucket with fresh Tagetes leaves and stems roughly chopped up. COver with boiling water and then I leave it to cool and stand overnight. Next morning I strain it and add a half cup of soap powder to every bucket of liquid and mix thoroughly. this liquid can also be poured down the ant nests. Preferable repeat this treatment for three days running. Decant some of the liquid into a spray bottle (SPRAY) and spray onto vegetables to chase aphids away. Spray on windowsills to keep mozzies at bay. It even irritates ticks and fleas. Thus I use if on my pets' blankets and I usually tuck a fresh Tagetes plant under their bedding.. Good golly I even go so far as to wash the dogs with Tagetes minuta - they are always tick and flea free. I usually take a half bucket of tagetes and then cover it with a full bucket of boiling water. I then leave it to cool until it is pleasant to the touch and not cold then I strain it. I then use whis tagetes water as a final rinse after bathing the dogs. DO give it a try. I hope it works for you as it certainly does for me.
Tagetes? I've not ever heard of them, but I'll do some digging to research it. Thank you so much!! I'll also take this to the garden community to let them read it as well. Deborah
Natural insecticides Hi If you can, try out a systematic way of cohabiting with your bugs. The following method takes some time, but is quite effective, though not 100% fool proof. Do not plant the same or related plants together in extended rows - for e.g. tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum (peppers), egg plant are all related and suffer from the same diseases. Plant onions, Garlic, coriander and mint after every two / three rows of veggies. Also plant nepeta, marigolds and pyrethrum interspersed with your other plants. Get hold of Azadirachtin that occurs naturally in the Indian neem tree. It does not harm earthworms or beneficial insects such as bees and ladybugs, but knocks out pretty much everything else. Ants & wasps are repelled but not killed. Spray all your plants with dilute soap solution (body soap). You can use old bits of soap that you normally throw away; put them in lukewarm water so that the solution is just soapy to touch. Its effective against aphids, mealy bugs and completely harmless to the environment. It also contains plenty of potassium, which is a fertiliser. Nepeta leaves (catnip / catmint) drive out cockroaches, mosquitoes and house flies. Always keep some dried leaves in the corners of your kitchen and storage areas. Lastly never plant the same plants in the same ground year after year. Sorry about the long post. Hope it helps Happy gardening
Great Infor there Sunshine. Tell me are you also into organic gardening?? Making use of nature to help you garden?? I am certainly going to make use of your tip regarding: I had to battle with cockroaches here, as well as houseflies. There are something like 4 restuarants in the area where I live and a supermarket, fuel stations that also serve as a fast food outlets and convenience stores, etc. This is all within a 500 m radius around me. I think all these contribute to the pest problems we have here.
Try garlic. Mash a good amount of garlic, mix with water. Pass through any type of filter to get rid of the particles and use with your spray bomb. Or drop a cheap cigar in a gallon of water and let it sit for a couple of hours, filter and spray. The good thing about this practice is that does not cost much, does not pollute and if it does not work you can try something else, knowing that this method could work for other problems.[/b]
Here are a few tips out of an old book that belonged to my grandmother: - Uncorking a bottle of oil of pennyroyal in your room before retiring at night will dispose of mosquitoes. - To destroy flies, take strong green tea, sweetened well, and set in saucers about the places where they are most numerous. To destroy them this way is preferable to use over flypapers, which catch insects alive, and cause them to die a slow death. - To destroy roaches, put some strong snuff in cracks and holes in which they hide. Borax is also good for this. __The Standard Book of Recipes and Housewife's Guide 1901
After doing a little online research, I found this tidbit regarding fireants: "Simply pour two cups of CLUB SODA (carbonated water) directly in the center of a fire ant mound. The carbon dioxide in the water is heavier than air and displaces the oxygen which suffocates the queen and the other ants. The whole colony will be dead within about two days." Source: http://www.mindspring.com/~erhoades/fireant/index.htm
Great Replies! Gosh, I love hearing about all the 'organic' manners in which we can at the very least control insects... I'm going to get some soda and try that on the insect mounds.... GREAT idea! I'll be taking your ideas to the Community Garden! Thanks!! Keep 'em coming! :-D
I explored your sites!I thoroughly enjoyed and bookmarked them. I visit St. Pete at least once per year. A warm welcome to our site!
Organic Gardening The soda sounds like a great idea; I will check it out. Dear Palm, lets have a separate topic on Organic Farming, where all can share their tips and we have all ideas in one place. What do you think? To be truthful, I am a 90% oraganic gardener (10% is reserved for emergencies when the damage done needs to be controlled instantaneously. So far thnakfully, I have never had to use this 10%). Have a nice day
Thanks Thanks! Love doing the Welcome site... It keeps me on my toes! One day, I'll have St Pete covered as well! And thank you for your welcome to Garden stew!
